hair

noun

ˈher 

often attributive

1

a

: a slender threadlike outgrowth of the epidermis of an animal

especially : one of the usually pigmented filaments that form the characteristic coat of a mammal

b

: the hairy covering of an animal or a body part

especially : the coating of hairs on a human head

2

: haircloth

3

a

: a minute distance or amount

won by a hair

b

: a precise degree

aligned to a hair

4

obsolete : nature, character

5

: a filamentous structure that resembles hair

leaf hair

hairless adjective

hairlessness noun

hairlike

ˈher-ˌlīk 

adjective

Illustration of hair

• 1 shaft
• 2 sebaceous gland
• 3 epidermis
• 4 dermis
• 5 hair follicle
• 6 bulb
• 7 papilla

Phrases

in one's hair

: persistently and annoyingly in one's presence

can't work with you in my hair all day

out of one's hair

: out of one's way : not in one's hair

keep the children out of his hair for a while

Synonyms

• ace
• hairbreadth
• hairsbreadth
• hairline
• hop, skip, and jump
• inch
• neck
• shouting distance
• step
• stone's throw

Examples of hair in a Sentence

He plucked a hair from his arm.

There are dog hairs all over my coat.

The hair on her arms is blond.

He has a lot of hair on his chest.

He got his hair cut last week.

He has a thick head of hair.

a balding man who is losing his hair

He won the race by a hair.

He was a hair off on the count.

Recent Examples on the Web

After her skincare routine, Olivia gets her hair and makeup done, steams her voice, and puts on her onstage outfit. —Kleigh Balugo, StyleCaster, 2 Apr. 2025

Her hair was styled with a side part and featured soft curls. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 2 Apr. 2025

During a search of White's residence, police found a bloodied scene, including blood spatter on the wall, bleach stains on the carpet resembling the outline of a human body and a hammer that had hair and blood on it, the complaint stated. —Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 2 Apr. 2025

The harvesting of palm oil, for example, which is used in a number of beauty and skincare care products such as soap, shampoo, makeup, and hair care, is the cause of major deforestation and environmental devastation. —Joshua Britton, Time, 2 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English hǣr; akin to Old High German hār hair

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing hair

• angel-hair pasta
• baby hair
• bad hair day
• big hair
• camel hair
• camel's hair
• full head of hair
• guard hair
• hair ball
• hair cell
• hair follicle
• hair gel
• hair of the dog (that bit you)
• hair-raiser
• hair-raising
• hair's breadth
• hair seal
• hair shirt
• hair slide
• hair spray
• hair style
• hair stylist
• hair trigger
• hide nor hair
• hide or hair
• keep your hair on
• let one's hair down
• long-hair
• make one's hair curl
• make one's hair stand on end
• not have a hair out of place
• not turn a hair
• pull one's hair out
• root hair
• tear one's hair
• tear one's hair out
• turn a hair
• Venus hair
• Venus hair fern

Rhymes for hair

• air
• ayre
• bahr
• bare
• blare
• care
• chair
• claire
• ere
• err
• eyre
• fair

Kids Definition

hair

noun

ˈha(ə)r 

ˈhe(ə)r

1

a

: a slender threadlike growth from the skin of an animal

especially : one that usually contains coloring and forms part of the characteristic coat of a mammal

b

: a covering or growth of hairs of an animal or a body part

2

: a tiny distance or amount

won by a hair

3

: a threadlike structure that resembles hair

leaf hairs

haired

ˈha(ə)rd

ˈhe(ə)rd

adjective

hairless

ˈha(ə)r-ləs

ˈhe(ə)r-

adjective

hairlike

-ˌlīk 

adjective

Medical Definition

hair

noun

ˈha(ə)r, ˈhe(ə)r 

often attributive

1

: a slender threadlike outgrowth of the epidermis of an animal

especially : one of the usually pigmented filaments that form the characteristic coat of a mammal

2

: the hairy covering of an animal or a body part

especially : the coating of hairs on a human head

hairlike

-ˌlīk 

adjective